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So I know the idea was tossed around previously of Oswalt and many of you guys were against it because of the 3 year commitment. However, now it looks as though he would be willing to accept a one year deal http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/12/o ... ks-up.html. This is the kind of deal that the Orioles need to go after as they get a solid addition to their rotation and a mentor for the younger pitchers.

While I would not mind Oswalt for the reasons you state above, I highly doubt he would ever consider signing here. He wants to go somewhere and win, which clearly is not here.He also is going to have a lot of teams after him now that he has stated that he would accept a 1 yr deal. The Orioles would have to pay 10+ mil prob to land him, and it would end up being an overpay. And with Oswalt's recent injury-prone career and age, I feel that it's a heavy risk for the Orioles to take. If he got injured, they would have essentially paid 10+ mil for a guy to pitch however many starts and not help the club very much. They also would not be able to flip him at the deadline.

He fits better with a contending club such as the Tigers, Yankees, etc.

Are the Orioles contenders? No.Do the Orioles play in the National League? No.Do the Orioles play their home games in Texas? No.Would the Orioles have to massively overpay for him to even consider pitching in Baltimore next season? Yes.

There are 4 reasons why there is no chance that he signs with the Orioles.

If the Orioles are offering a one year contract ONLY Oswalt will sign someplace else. If we were to offer a two year contract at close to the annual amount he's asking for we have a slim chance. If we were to add a third year vesting option with a production target that he thinks he can make then it's about 50/50.

I would make the two year plus option offer to Oswalt because he would give us a quality pitcher to anchor the staff while we rebuild. I still think we should trade Guthrie right now and Oswalt could fill his spot on the roster.

I'm really starting to become concerned that the team is going to try to win with the 40 man roster they have now and I see that as the recipe for another five years of misery.

ofahn wrote:If the Orioles are offering a one year contract ONLY Oswalt will sign someplace else. If we were to offer a two year contract at close to the annual amount he's asking for we have a slim chance. If we were to add a third year vesting option with a production target that he thinks he can make then it's about 50/50.

I would make the two year plus option offer to Oswalt because he would give us a quality pitcher to anchor the staff while we rebuild. I still think we should trade Guthrie right now and Oswalt could fill his spot on the roster.

I'm really starting to become concerned that the team is going to try to win with the 40 man roster they have now and I see that as the recipe for another five years of misery.

Congratulations!!! You have come over to my side LOL...Hence you see my desire to sign Fielder and $pend on pitching

I can understand your desire to win now but I think you should reread the last two paragraphs again.

I would make the two year plus option offer to Oswalt because he would give us a quality pitcher to anchor the staff while we rebuild. I still think we should trade Guthrie right now and Oswalt could fill his spot on the roster.

I'm really starting to become concerned that the team is going to try to win with the 40 man roster they have now and I see that as the recipe for another five years of misery.

ofahn wrote:I can understand your desire to win now but I think you should reread the last two paragraphs again.

I would make the two year plus option offer to Oswalt because he would give us a quality pitcher to anchor the staff while we rebuild. I still think we should trade Guthrie right now and Oswalt could fill his spot on the roster.

I'm really starting to become concerned that the team is going to try to win with the 40 man roster they have now and I see that as the recipe for another five years of misery.

We've been rebuilding for 14 years. I think most Orioles' fans are sick of it. Time to step up and make a statement. Spend some money and let's bring in some quality talent

birdwatcher55 wrote:Spend some money and let's bring in some quality talent

Give it a rest.

I care too much about this team to wreck it like that. Throwing money at a problem has RARELY ever been the solution and it would only make the problem worse here.

Give what a rest?? A desire to see a winner here?? Continuation of 14 years of losing?? You have a Farm System that is several years away from producing top talent. So are we to sit around and wait for another rebuild to brings us to the promised land??? How many rebuilds do you want to sit through??? No my friend, time to spend some money and give the fan base the idea you are trying to win for the first time in ages

birdwatcher55 wrote:Spend some money and let's bring in some quality talent

Give it a rest.

I care too much about this team to wreck it like that. Throwing money at a problem has RARELY ever been the solution and it would only make the problem worse here.

Give what a rest?? A desire to see a winner here?? Continuation of 14 years of losing?? You have a Farm System that is several years away from producing top talent. So are we to sit around and wait for another rebuild to brings us to the promised land??? How many rebuilds do you want to sit through??? No my friend, time to spend some money and give the fan base the idea you are trying to win for the first time in ages

You ask give what a rest? Spending just for the sake of attempting to get a winning record in 2012 or 2013 and wasting funds that would be better used in 2014 and on into the future needs to be rethought because throwing money (Vlad, Izzy, Wiggy, Miggy, ...ETC) has not worked the last 14 years and will not now IMO.

You and everyone else desires a winner but how we get there is how fans differ. Thinking that Buck/Dan/Sir Pete don't want to win is being dishonest with ones self.

Yes it was 14 years but not with the current management team and they should have free reign to do as they see fit to get that winning record. If it is to have the market (Free Agents) play out and not sign the large contract players, then as fans we can complain but that is as it will be.

There is a difference between throwing money blindly at a problem and spending your money smartly. Oswalts 3.69 ERA last year was almost a whole point lower than any of our starting pitchers from last year and would definitely be an upgrade. Also, when compared to those other individuals mentioned as players we threw money at, Oswalt has been a leader on winning teams. I am not proposing that we throw an Albert Belle contract at him or even a multi year deal, but a one year deal gives us some stability and stregthen that has been missing from the top of our rotation, provides competition between the younger pitchers so they have to fight for a spot and have to show us what we have, a mentoring influence to those younger pitchers and all that adds up to money well spent.

My fault for getting caught up in the spending on Fielder/Wilson/Pujol type of contracts and I would be happy with signing Oswalt to a two year deal with a make good 3rd year option (Games Started or Innings Pitched Incentive). I also believe that the young pitchers will make a comeback and become the pitchers we thought two years ago. If Oswalt was to work out and become durable for us along with the progress needed from the young-ens then you would have the much needed pitching depth that not only would give us relief from our losing seasons but the foundation for many more winning/competing seasons to come.